Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Friday’s front pages continue their coverage of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plane crash, as many speculate whether Russian President Vladimir Putin was behind the crash.
Online, many of the newspapers are leading with the mugshot of former US President Donald Trump, who surrendered to a court over charges related to attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
The mugshot was released after most newspapers went to print, so have missed out on front page coverage.
‘Vlad sick tribute’
The Daily Mail reports on Putin’s “sickening tribute” to his rival when he said the Wagner boss had made serious mistakes. The Sun newspaper mocks up a condolence card on its front page, with the message “with deepest sympathy, so sorry I killed him.”
The papers are speculating what caused the plane to crash, with many reporting that Washington has ruled out a missile attack.
The Times cites a Russian media outlet and says an explosion near the landing gear caused the jet to break up before plunging 8,000 feet in half a minute.
The Daily Telegraph reports that sources have told them, Putin has been emboldened by the apparent assassination. But The FT notes Prigozhin was popular with some in Russia because of his straight-talking critiques of army leaders. The broadsheet leads with Putin breaking his silence to confirm the death of the Wagner chief. It reports the president expressed condolences to the family of the dead, as well as paying tribute personally to Prigozhin, calling him a “talented businessman”.
The Guardian leads with the US line on who’s responsible. The Pentagon said it believed it was likely Prigozhin had been killed. “Bomb blew up Putin critic’s jet” headlines the i as it also leads with US assessments that the Wagner boss was killed by an explosion on board his plane.
Trump mugshot
The Washington Post describes Trump’s formal arrest as an “unprecedented moment” resulting in the first-ever mugshot of a former president.
The New York Times describes Trump’s expression as “serious and scowling, with his brows furrowed.”